A 2-Week Specific Volleyball Training Supported by the Whole Body Cryostimulation Protocol Induced an Increase of Growth Factors and Counteracted Deterioration of Physical Performance

Abstract

Potentially beneficial effects of cold therapies on training adaptation still remain unequivocal. We have, thus, decided to evaluate the effects of a 2-week volleyball training program supported by 10 sessions of whole body cryostimulation (WBC) on growth factors and physical performance. Twenty healthy college-aged men and women randomly assigned either to the cryostimulation group (CRY) or the control group (CON; executed passive rest). Both groups took part in the same 2-weeks training program. Additionally, the CRY group attended in 10 cryo-sessions (3 min, -110°C temperature, five times/week). Blood samples were collected at baseline, 1 h after the first cryo-session as well as before and 1 h after the last session of WBC to assess growth factors, myokines concentration and the amino acid profile. Motor abilities were tested before commencing the training program and 2 days after its completion. The applied intervention resulted in an increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations. The adjusted effect describing the difference between groups in response to applied procedures was for both growth factors large and very likely in the CRY, higher than in the CON group (113%; Coefficient Interval: 38–230%, 45%; Coefficient Interval: 17–79%, respectively). Physical performance dropped in both groups, yet in the CRY group, the magnitude of change was smaller. The fibroblast growth factor dropped significantly 1 h following the first cryo-session, yet irisin remained statistically unchanged. The similar tendency was maintained after the whole procedure, still the range of changes was smaller. In the CRY group, an elevated uptake of tryptophan and valine noted in response to the whole intervention, could have induced a significant decrease of fasting glucose concentration (the adjusted effect small and very likely -6%; Coefficient Interval: -10 to -2%). Overall, a 2-week volleyball training program supported by the whole body cryostimulation protocol resulted in an increase of growth factors and offset a decline of physical performance. Thus these procedure can be applied in professional sport during competition period, especially among those disciplines focusing on an explosive power and ability to concentrate.

Short-Term Resistance Training Supported by Whole-Body Cryostimulation Induced a Decrease in Myostatin Concentration and an Increase in Isokinetic Muscle Strength

“…A recently published paper indicated that a 3 h exposure to 7 °C temperature did not affect myostatin gene expression [ 42 ]. In a separate study, the aforementioned protocol of whole-body cryostimulation, combined with specific volleyball training, had no impact on myostatin concentration [ 20 ]. Therefore, we concluded that the specific response to resistance training and cold treatment depended on the presence of a specific exercise stimulus.…”

“…Nevertheless, this was only the effect of a single unit of exercise without any recovery-supporting method. In a previous investigation, a specific volleyball training program combined with cryostimulation did not significantly affect the concentration of IL-15 [ 20 ]. In our study, 12 units of regular resistance training with a workload comparable to the Perez-Lopez study, but combined with cryostimulation, caused a significant increase of IL-15 resting concentration.…”

“…A recently published investigation confirmed this observation [ 56 ]. Until now, only one study observed an increase of BDNF concentration in response to volleyball training combined with whole-body cryostimulation [ 20 ]. Results obtained in this study indicate that resistance training combined with whole-body cryostimulation did not affect the BDNF level, which can suggest that neither resistance training alone nor in combination with cold treatment affects BDNF concentration.…”

“…Recent reports indicated that cold therapies are not only effective in reducing inflammation and muscle pain after EIMD [ 19 ] but also modulate expression and release of a plethora of circulating growth factors [ 20 ]. What is more, cold exposure may change concentrations of amino acids, proteins released from muscle mass-myokines [ 20 , 21 ], and other proteins stimulated by exercise called “exerkines”, which are considered as the main mediators of systemic adaptation to exercise [ 22 ]. Broatch et al reported neither positive nor negative effects of CWI combined with resistance training on the adaptation process, strongly emphasizing the importance of investigating different protocols of cold therapy during real-world resistance training [ 23 ].…”

Effects of Neuromuscular Training on Motor Competence and Physical Performance in Young Female Volleyball Players

“…Therefore, different kinds of training models have been tested to improve the performance of volleyball players [14][15][16][17]. However, there is a high degree of inter-individual variation in the development of movement competence during early and middle childhood [18].…”